Help needed please.

Help needed please.

Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:55 pm

In November of last year, I purchased this Chinese tea bonsai (aged 46 years, in training 5) from the King of Prussia branch of Bonsai Art Gallery based in Hempstead, NY. I have been hoping that it would be with me a long time, but the picture below shows why I have been worried about it. It has been gradually losing leaves, one branch at a time, I cannot see any signs of insect or mold infestation, I have moved the bonsai to various locations to give it more or less light, I have varied the amount of water given to it, but have settled on submerging the soil in water once a week and surface watering once a week. I have sprayed it with water twice a week to no effect. For weeks, it has been getting direct window sunshine more than six hours a day, and the average temperature of the room where the bonsai is displayed is about 60Ã‚Â°. Still, still the leaves are turning yellow, then drying out and falling off.

What should I do, please, to stop this loss of leaves AND what conditions are best suited to ensure its long term health and beauty?

I do not see the picture you are referring to, but if you speaking of a Fukien Tea tree, I can give a little bit of advice.

Fukien Tea are very particular about light, watering and consistency. They like lots of light. They prefer to mostly dry out between waterings. And they do not like being moved around. Straying from any of these can easily cause these trees to shed leaves, and this stressed state will make them very susceptible to pests and disease.

With the tree being indoors, it will be very important to provide it with supplemental light. A fluorescent light is best, kept very close above the tree, and then no more moving the tree around. A humidity tray is also a must for any tree living indoors.

As far as watering, I would suggest the chopstick method (explained in the linked post, below) or a cheap water meter. Here is a link to a post about watering: